


The Wedding

by Haecceity



Series: They Say That The Happy Is Expensive (But The Ever After's Free) [2]
Category: Legend of the Seeker
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Post-Canon, Relationship Issues, Wedding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-24
Updated: 2014-08-24
Packaged: 2018-02-14 12:20:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2191629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haecceity/pseuds/Haecceity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Richard and Kahlan's wedding brings their family together with mixed results</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Wedding

The sun shone off the white tower of Aydindril as Kahlan looked up at it from the pass. She took a moment to just admire the simple beauty of her chosen home. From the first time she had seen Aydindril as a thirteen year old girl she had known it was where she would always belong; the home of the Confessors and the seat of power in the Midlands. Then she had been holding Dennee’s hand as they both stared at a future neither of them could quite picture. Today she was holding Richard’s hand and staring at a future she had never dreamed possible.

“Why are we stopping?” Cara asked, frowning. She paused beside them with an expression caught between irritation and concern. “Are you crying?”

“This is really happening,” Kahlan said, a wide smile spreading across her face.

“We’re getting married,” Richard agreed, 

Dennee greeted them as they entered the main square, a large courtyard with a platform at one end overlooked by the houses of Aydindril’s wealthiest. She was wearing the white dress of a Confessor and her new body’s hair in a more elaborate style than anything they could manage on the road. Even though Kahlan knew her sister had changed bodies- Lucinda, her name had been Lucinda and she had had a son and a life- it still felt wrong to see Dennee like this. Dennee had been her baby sister, always ready to go ride horses and fight impossible odds. She hadn’t been as quick or agile as Kahlan. She’d grown up sturdier and tougher. Seeing her in that petite, frail body was better than never seeing her but also jarringly wrong.

“Welcome home,” Dennee said, embracing Kahlan. “Come in, get cleaned up. It’s good to see you, Seeker, First Wizard.” She looked pointedly at Cara and then away.

“Have you heard anything from D’Hara?” Richard asked.

“Since the Banelings returned to the Underworld the surviving lords and generals have fallen to squabbling. There are rumors Darken Rahl has returned but nothing about him raising an army. It will be years before they present a serious threat again. Maybe decades.” Dennee said happily.

“I’d like to make an announcement.” Richard said.

“The Midlands will always be honored to hear from the Seeker.” Dennee said.

Kahlan looked at the crowd, swelling as word went from ear to ear saying that the Seeker, the Mother Confessor, and the First Wizard had returned to Aydindril. Cara and her Mord’Sith leathers received suspicious glares and muttered asides that were just quiet enough to avoid being a direct provocation and just loud enough to be difficult to ignore.

Richard stepped onto the platform Confessors had been using to speak to their people for generations. He raised his arms for silence.

“The Keeper has been sent back to the Underworld. The good are in the Halls of Eternal Peace and the evil have gone to the Keeper’s embrace. Not everyone who took the Keeper’s deal was evil. Some of them were good people doing the best they could to take care of their loved ones.

Darken Rahl was the one who made the original deal. This catastrophe was his responsibility and it took his best Mord Sith to help us stop him.” Richard gestured to Cara.

Cara’s green eyes went wide and she gave Richard the same mildly alarmed and severely confused look she usually did when he tried to explain emotions.

“Without Mistress Cara’s help, we would still be under attack from the dead. You owe the homes, families, and livelihoods you have to her. Anyone who has a problem with her has a problem with me.” Richard glared harshly at the crowd.

Kahlan saw Dennee holding her hands together tightly in the gesture that meant she was holding in an emotional outburst. The hands were different but the gesture was the same as the one a little girl had made while they sat with their hands tied, listening to their father rant. Then Richard was smiling at her and thoughts about the anger Dennee had for Cara fell away.

The crowd cheered for Kahlan as she wrapped an arm around Richard’s waist and smiled at him.

“I was raised by George and Mary Cypher. They were good people who never made me feel less than their son. They taught me about helping people and leaving the world a better place than I found it. I will always love them and cherish the lessons they gave me. But this year I found out my father was Panis Rahl.” He increased volume over the uncomfortable muttering of his audience. “I come from the same blood as Darken Rahl. I will not walk his path and I will not bear his name. I have proudly and gladly used the name Cypher and soon, I will use the name Amnell.

I pledge my love and my life to Mother Confessor Kahlan Amnell. We have come back to let you share our joy as I become Richard Amnell.”

***

Cara ignored Dennee, the Wizard, and Richard and Kahlan staring lovingly into each other’s eyes. She focused on the crowd and their enthusiastic reaction to her Lord Rahl rejecting his heritage and birthright. It was cleverly done and she wished she could believe it was a sign of future tactical thinking rather than watching him sink deeper into sentiment.

As she was scanning the crowd for any sign of crossbows or someone about to launch themselves at Richard, knife in hand, her gaze came across a woman looking directly at her. The woman noticed her looking and gave her a wide smile. Cara found herself frowning indecisively, then looking around for the attack the woman was distracting her from.

When she looked back, the woman was still smiling at her.

***

“Are you insane?” Dennee burst out the moment she and Kahlan were alone. “You can’t marry the Seeker. You can’t marry anyone. We’re Confessors.”

“Sister Nicci turned my powers against me and made me try to Confess Richard,” Kahlan said intensely. “It didn’t work.” She laughed brightly. “It didn’t work and he’s still himself. We’ve checked and he’s very immune.” She giggled in a way she hadn’t since Telia’s lessons on what was expected of a Confessor and her mate.

Dennee’s face clenched in horror. “You- How is that possible?”

“We have the Creator’s blessing,” Kahlan said. “She wants us to be together. My tears when I thought I’d hurt Richard formed a new Stone of Tears. She gave us a miracle.”

Lips tight, Dennee nodded. “So you’re going to marry him.” She grimaced. “While you do your duties as Mother Confessor, will he be staying here?”

“Oh,” Kahlan’s shoulders hunched slightly. “He and I were planning to-”

“To leave again.” Dennee finished for her. “I see.” She gave Kahlan a look that reminded her guiltily of Serena.

“We need to reestablish our judgment over the Midlands.” Kahlan said. “It’s temporary.”

“You’re marrying the current Lord Rahl, abandoning Aydindril, and then what?” Dennee asked very quietly.

“He’s rejecting his father’s family,” Kahlan said. “Richard is the opposite of everything Darken Rahl was and is.”

“When do you plan to come back?”

“I…,” Kahlan stopped.

“You are the Mother Confessor, not me. The Mother Confessor’s duties are here in the capital. We’re not under siege. The war is over.” Dennee reached out and touched Kahlan’s hands. “You belong in Aydindril.”

“I’ll come back to have my baby,” Kahlan said, looking into Dennee’s eyes.

“You are-” Dennee started hopefully.

“Not yet,” Kahlan said. “But we will. Richard will be a wonderful father.”

Dennee winced. “Who will be going with you?”

“I’m not sure if Zedd will come with us or visit Jennsen. Cara will be coming with us.” Kahlan said, feeling defensive and angry that she felt like she had to defend herself for making a reasonable choice.

“Of course.” Dennee said, scowling. “Is this her idea?”

“I thought you were fine with her.” Kahlan said reproachfully.

“I knew your Seeker needed her on his quest. I knew you allowed her to follow him for the same reason. I didn’t think you would let it go so easily that she tried to take my baby. She forced me to kill him rather than let him fall into Darken Rahl’s hands.” Dennee glared up at Kahlan. “She made me kill my son. His name was Richard and I remember him every day. I remember him every time I look at Edmund. I wonder which words he would learn instead of the ones Edmund says. Every day I have to wonder if your Richard was right and I could have raised him to be a good man.” Dennee shook her head firmly. “I can’t forget or forgive that.”

Tears burned in Kahlan’s eyes.

“But you can forgive her for killing your sister and your nephew. You can travel with her because you choose to.”

“True justice requires tempering with compassion and mercy.” Kahlan quoted softly. “She became my friend.”

“You want her there.” Dennee said, her shoulders slumping in resignation.

“She had a son who was taken from her. I want to help her find him.” Kahlan admitted. She’d never been able to lie to Dennee.

“I hope you all return safely.” Dennee said, holding her head high. “And I hope she doesn’t find him.” With that, she left the room.

***

Cara leaned against the wall of the guardhouse for Aydindril’s main gate, watching wedding guests plod into the city in an unending stream. Kahlan and Richard had started telling everyone about their upcoming nuptials as soon as they had reached civilization. Anyone they had met in their travels was welcome to attend the ceremony, even enemies with the understanding that they were to put aside their weapons and take up the Mother Confessor and Seeker’s offer of amnesty. The result was a mixed collection of survivors, former soldiers, refugees, and former rebels that was running the Aydindril Guard ragged trying to keep up with them. A number of fistfights and a small riot had already stirred the guard into enforcing a curfew. 

“There she is,” Zedd said happily, an enormous smile spreading across his face. “Jennsen!” The tall wizard waded into a crowd that hastily parted for him. Cara trailed after him, using her elbows to deal with anyone who came too close because Kahlan had asked her to be polite. Behind her was the man the Guard had loaned them, Daveth, who said a few soothing words to anyone who looked like they were about to punch Cara back.

Jennsen’s eyes were wide and terrified, scanning the crowd like a bird in a cattery. Cara barely heard her say to Zedd, “There are so many people here.”

“We’ll get you to the Keep. Don’t fret, girl.” Zedd said quietly. “I am so proud of you for coming.”

“Any of them could be working for Darken Rahl.” Jennsen gulped.

“They’ll have to get through us.” Daveth gave her a smile and a nod. “Guardsman Daveth. Mistress Cara, the First Wizard and I will escort you to the Keep.”

Cara gave him a hint of a nod to let him know she appreciated the respect. “You and your family have a room at the Dancing Shadrin. All the guards know where it is.” Cara told Sean. “We would like to see you at the wedding,” she said in a stiff, formal voice.

“Thank you for taking care of my granddaughter,” Zedd finally said, still obviously distracted.

“She’s a good girl,” Sean said with a nod.

“Look down at your feet and deep, slow breaths,” Zedd told Jennsen as they slowly walked to the Wizard’s Keep. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the First Wizard’s rooms. They have some magical locks you can help me with. Not even Darken Rahl’s sorcerers can get through them. Even the windows are guarded by powerful magic.”

“Where’s Richard?” Jennsen asked in a voice that was strained but present.

“He’s helping plan the wedding. Kahlan is getting fitted for her dress.” Zedd answered. “Later she’ll be giving a speech.”

“Why is she here?” Jennsen asked, her eyes cutting toward Cara.

“She is a dear friend who wanted an old man to make it safely through the crowd.” Zedd said before Cara could answer. “She isn’t Denna.”

Something inside Cara’s gut loosened and the corners of her mouth twitched up.

“Now, the people who built the Wizard’s Keep knew about the Pristinely Ungifted and there are some countermeasures that are pure engineering.” Zedd said amiably. “Levers and trap doors and so forth. My father taught me all of them but my memory is rusty so we’ll need the extra help.” He looked at Daveth. “If you wish to guard the door, no one would think less of you.”

Daveth’s large brown eyes sparkled with mischief. “And turn down a look at the inside of the infamous Keep? Not a chance.”

“Then let’s make an afternoon of it,” Zedd said as they reached the imposing gates of the Wizard’s Keep of Aydindril, famed for its extensive library of books on magic. It contained the notes of nearly every First Wizard for the last two thousand years, all magically preserved and catalogued for the use of other Wizards of the First Order. It was a prize Darken Rahl had sought many times and had never quite given up on sending people to retrieve items from it.

They passed more than one corpse burnt beyond recognition, a few that had been splashed with acid, and a pile of dust Zedd said was someone who had been aged to death on the spot. As they passed through the traps, Zedd gave anecdotes about his father, “your great-grandfather Zorander,” and his childhood learning to be a wizard. Slowly, Cara saw Jennsen relaxing and even coming to enjoy telling her and Daveth where the illusions were.

They paused in a circular room that look to Cara like it had five doors but Jennsen insisted there were only two. “Why are we doing this without Richard? And don’t say it’s because of the wedding.”

Zedd’s smile fell away into sadness. “Your mother was no sorceress or adventurer. She never saw these rooms. I never thought to show them to her. Richard had the Gift. He had more Gift than I ever did but he never wanted it the way I did. I hungered to show the world what I could do with my power. He gave his away. I think it will come back to him and when it does this place will be here for him. But it isn’t what he needs right now.”

“And I can show him, if you’re not here?” Jennsen asked, something like anger or grief crossing behind her eyes. 

“No, child.” Zedd said quickly. “Not at all. This is your heritage and I want you to know it.” His long arms wrapped Jennsen in a fierce hug.

Cara felt her eyes sting as she watched Jennsen melt into Zedd’s hug.

“And you deserve to know the truth about your father, myself, your mother, and Darken Rahl.” Zedd said heavily.

“I think I saw an interesting statue in the other room,” Cara told Daveth pointedly. He followed her out of earshot.

“It’s strange.” Daveth said, his eyes fixed on a rather beautiful mosaic of a man wielding what looked like the Sword of Truth against a dragon. “We spend our whole lives scurrying around in that city down there and mostly we don’t think about what’s up here. All these gadgets and magical artifacts are just sitting up here. Gorgeous art like this and we never give it a second thought.”

“Are you planning to rob the place?” Cara asked, eyebrows raised.

“Of course not.” Daveth snorted. “My mother didn’t raise any fools. But it’s nice to see it. As kids we used to dare each other to climb the walls and look at the gardens but no one can climb those walls without magic. They get slick like glass and seem to stretch up and up. And then you grow up and realize that if you had gone inside you’d be burned to a crisp and you tell yourself it couldn’t have been that wonderful on the inside anyway. It has to be dusty and moldy because no one’s been in it for so long.” Daveth looked up at the coffered ceiling gilded with gold that emitted a light strong enough to read by. “But it really is that beautiful.” He looked at her and his mouth pulled into a smile that reminded her achingly of Leo. “Thank you for not deciding I’m too much of a security risk.”

“We needed the extra hands,” Cara said a little hoarsely.

“Still,” Daveth smiled at her. “Thank you.”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. They waited in a comfortable silence that reminded Cara how long it had been since she hadn’t felt like she was holding back words or forcing them out.

Jennsen found them both quietly examining the mosaic. Her eyes were red and puffy but she appeared calm. “We’re ready to continue,” she said steadily.

By the time they reached the room Zedd thought would suit Jennsen it was near nightfall. Cara and Daveth left Zedd and Jennsen making it habitable and proofing it against intruders. She was expecting it when Daveth cleared his throat. “If you want to-”

“Thank you but no.” Cara said firmly, keeping in mind her promise to Kahlan to be polite.

“I was going to say ‘go dancing.’” Daveth said, blinking.

“Mord’Sith do not dance. And no.” Cara said.

Daveth saluted her. “Have a pleasant evening, Mistress Cara.”

“Thank you,” she said uncomfortably, watching him leave.

***

“How does this look?” Kahlan asked Cara, modeling a blue and cream dress. “Dennee says the square neckline is in fashion this year but I think I prefer the sweetheart.”

“It’s a dress,” Cara said, her gloved hands folded in her lap.

“Right. I should ask Zedd.” Kahlan fumbled with the ties holding her corset cover in place. “Help me out of this thing?”

Cara rolled her eyes and stood to help Kahlan. The bodice was more complicated than it appeared from a distance and she focused so hard on the ties she almost didn’t notice when Kahlan started crying. 

“What am I doing?” Kahlan asked Cara desperately.

“You’re crying in your wedding dress.” Cara answered, reminding herself that Mord’Sith did not panic.

“No. Well, yes. I’m marrying Richard.” Kahlan said, hiccuping. “I’m the first Confessor to get married since the first days when we were made. What if there’s a reason we don’t get married? What if this is a mistake?”

“What if it is?” Cara asked blankly. “Would that make you not do it?”

“No.” Kahlan took a deep, shuddery breath. “The Creator showed us how true our love is. We can’t throw that away. Richard is the miracle I never dared pray for.”

Cara’s hands stilled.

“There are so many guests here already. He can’t hate me because I never Confessed him. We’ll have children and he’ll love them.” Kahlan took another deep breath. “I had a nightmare last night that I Confessed him.”

“You would never hurt Richard,” Cara assured Kahlan. “And if you did we’d find a way to undo it. We’ve done it before.”

“You’re right.” Kahlan’s smile broke through her tears and she hugged Cara. “You should go out and have some fun. See the city. You’ve been shepherding me and Richard and Zedd for the last two weeks. Take some time for yourself.”

“I can stay and help.” Cara protested.

“We’re doing flower arrangements tomorrow morning.” Kahlan said. “Sneezing all over them wouldn’t be helpful.”

“Dress first,” Cara said reluctantly.

“That guardsman, Daveth, he likes you and he’s not on shift tonight. You should ask him to show you around.” Kahlan said as they lifted away the outer layer of the dress.

Maybe,” Cara said.

Cara wandered the streets alone aimlessly. The crowd was rowdy and it seemed everyone was awake even though the sun had set some time ago. Steering clear of larger crowds that looked too much like potential mobs, Cara eventually found herself in a small pub. Glaring around the room to see who would try anything, she sat at the bar and ordered watered wine. She wasn’t feeling self-destructive enough to get stone drunk in a place she knew no one.

“Hello,” a woman’s voice came from over Cara’s shoulder and then there was a warm presence beside her.

“Hello,” Cara placed her as the woman who had smiled at her during Richard’s speech.

“I’m Forsythia Summerfield.” The woman smiled at Cara, flipping her long, curly hair over her shoulder. “I work in the market. Selling potatoes and beets mostly.” Between Forsythia’s skin tone and the dim lighting it was hard to tell but Cara thought she saw a blush. “Do you want to be alone?”

Cara thought for a moment. “No.”

“Come sit with me and my friends.” Forsythia offered. 

“No dancing,” Cara said, following Forsythia to a table with four others seated at it.

“Promise,” Forsythia said before introducing her friends.

At the end of the night, Forsythia kissed Cara quickly. There was definitely a blush. Two nights later, when Forsythia invited Cara back to her place, Cara said, “You know I’ll be leaving again soon.”

“Yes,” Forsythia breathed in Cara’s ear. “And I want you to have good memories of Aydindril when you do.”

***

In the alternate universe, Kahlan had worn a yellow beaded dress and Richard had been dressed in Rahl red. On the day of their wedding, Kahlan was dressed in blue and cream with her hair up in a style that had taken hours. Richard was dressed simply in a neutral brown. Instead of Darken Rahl officiating, Dennee Amnell presided over the ceremony. Chase Brandstone stood next to the groom and Cara stood next to the bride. Zedd had the rings.

The sun shone brightly off the white stones of the Confessors’ home in Aydindril and the jewelry of the guests on the bride’s side. Important heads of state and their families clapped politely on one side while on the groom’s, commoners in their best clothes cheered. 

Lily who had tried to feed the bride and groom to a shadrin sat next to her brother Liam. A bevy of women they had saved from Giller’s experiments sat next to representatives of the Minders. Martha, her sons, and Rachel sat next to Jennsen and Sean’s family. Right beside them sat Rann, without Edmund as he was too young. Brigid cried openly while Mark uncomfortably held her arm. Flynn and Annabelle sat very close together while Gryff and Branwyn did not.

Richard and Kahlan kissed as if none of them were there.

***

After the honeymoon, Richard, Kahlan, and Cara left the city and headed east. Richard and Kahlan paused occasionally to look at their rings. Cara touched the pocket where she kept a note that read, “I will remember you fondly. -F”


End file.
